Story Details

News Release
February 2, 2005
Salt Lake City, Utah - Utah Governor Jon M. Huntsman Jr., has received confirmation that President Bush formally signed the Declaration for Disaster for Washington
and Kane Counties, approving FEMA funding for public assistance and mitigation.

"We are pleased that President Bush acted with such expediency on this situation," said Governor Huntsman. "The funding will certainly help restore infrastructure
needs in the area and help the community return to some kind of normalcy."

A FEMA logistics team has been in the St. George area this week bringing in equipment in anticipation of the presidential declaration. The full team is arriving
this afternoon to set up the joint field office.

The presidential declaration releases federal money to pay for repair of flood-damaged infrastructure needs not already covered by insurance or other federal
agencies.

In addition to FEMA officials assigned onsite indefinitely, the Utah Department of Public Safety will provide full-time staff assistance on a rotating basis.

The public assistance will help the immediate needs. After repairs are completed, a percentage of the total FEMA expenditure will return to the state for future
disaster mitigation efforts.